Former Agawam state Rep. Rosemary Sandlin to run for mayor

The Republican | Don TreegerFormer state Rep. Rosemary Sandlin has announced her candidacy for mayor of Agawam.

AGAWAM – Former state Rep. Rosemary Sandlin Tuesday announced that she will run for mayor in this fall’s election, saying the city is ready for a change.

“I think he is doing the job” she said Tuesday of the incumbent, Richard A. Cohen. “I think I can do an even better job. I think we need a change. I think I am that person.”

The 64-year-old Sandlin is the second resident to announce an intention to seek the mayoralty this fall. The other declared candidate is Walter A. Meissner III. Cohen, now in his 10th year as mayor, has yet to announce whether he will seek re-election.

A native of Agawam, Sandlin served on the School Committee for 22 years and was the city’s state representative for two terms. She lost a reelection bid to her Statehouse seat to Southwick Republican Nicholas A. Boldyga last fall.

Sandlin said she wants to look at each department in the city with an eye “toward functionality.”

One of the changes Sandlin said she would like to see is more programming in the evening hours at the Senior Center for senior citizens who are still employed.

However, Cohen said he is already looking into that. And as for looking at every department, the mayor said that is how he has produced 10 balanced city budgets.

“I do that on a daily basis. That is part of the job,” Cohen said.

As for whether he will seek reelection, Cohen, 52, said, “It is my understanding that the political calendar for the upcoming election has been set by the town clerk. However, at this time I am concentrating on the budget for the next fiscal year. There will be plenty of time for standing on street corners and waving, but this year’s fiscal budget is more important that politics.”

Town Clerk Richard M. Theroux said nomination papers to run for office in the fall will be available in his office starting May 2. Residents who want their names on the ballot must return nomination papers with the signatures of 100 people registered to vote in Agawam to his office by Aug. 23.

Sandlin said she will run a progressive campaign that is both issues-oriented and grassroots.